Go go go: The Division open beta happening now

Open beta for Tom Clancy's The Division is here. Well, it's here here if you're on Xbox One; you get to start the open beta today, February 18. If you're on PC or PlayStation 4, then you can still download the open beta and have it ready to go, but will have to wait until February 19 to fire it up.

A new mission invited itself to the open-beta party, and all testers get an in-game gift that you can unwrap on launch day, March 8. Read our hands-on coverage while you download.

The Division is an online multiplayer shooter. You don't need Xbox LIVE Gold or PlayStation Plus to play the beta, but some game modes will require those subscriptions. More info about that is on the way, says Ubisoft.

The Division launches on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on March 8, less than three weeks away. Gear up, team up, and reclaim the city. Several of us at Gaming Nexus head in this weekend.

WHAT: Today, Ubisoft® released a new trailer that provides a visual tour of Tom Clancy's The Division open beta which takes place from February 19-21 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. Xbox One players will also have exclusive 24-hour early access beginning on February 18.

If this isn't your first time playing The Division, you'll be able to discover a new story mission that wasn't in the closed beta. Also, everyone who participates in the open beta gets access to a special in-game reward that can be unlocked in Uplay when the full game is released for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC on March 8.

Tom Clancy's The Division takes place weeks after a devastating pandemic sweeps through New York City on Black Friday. One by one, basic services fail and in only days, without food or water, society collapses into chaos. The Division, an autonomous unit of tactical agents leading seemingly ordinary lives among us, is activated to save society. Team up with other players to investigate the source of the virus, protect civilians from dangerous factions, and reclaim the city from the overwhelming turmoil.